After doling out unemployment allowances, laptops, saris and blankets, the Akhilesh Yadav government is now preparing to distribute cycles.
The cycle, incidentally, is the election symbol of the ruling Samajwadi Party.
According to sources, the distribution of cycles to over three lakh laborers is likely to begin after Diwali and will be completed before the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections is enforced. The scheme is estimated to cost the state government a sum of `30 crores. The labour department of the state government is ready with the blueprint for cycle distribution. The identification and registration of daily wage laborers will be done at the district level and the cycle distribution will be done on the basis of this registration. A senior official in the labor department said that the government had already finalized the supply of cycles from four companies, namely, Hercules, Hind, Atlas and Hero, and each cycle would cost between `2,500 to `3,000.
The Akhilesh Yadav government, incidentally, is leading when it comes to doling out sops to the voters. The party has already distributed laptops to students and is preparing to start distribution of two saris each to women in the BPL category and blankets to the elderly in this category. By distributing cycles, the party to win over the unorganised labour sector.